The New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance was formed in response to a diverse group of stakeholders who came together on November 29, 2011 at Rutgers University to participate in the conference "Preparing NJ for Climate Change: A Workshop for Decision-Makers."

A changing climate and rising sea levels will have a devastating impact on New Jersey’s economy, the health of our residents, the State’s natural resources, and the extensive infrastructure system that delivers transportation services, energy and clean water to millions of New Jerseyans. The Alliance will focus on climate change preparedness in key impacted sectors (public health; watersheds, rivers and coastal communities; built infrastructure; agriculture; and natural resources) through:

Conducting outreach and education of the general public and targeted sectoral leaders;

Developing recommendations for state and local actions through collaboration with policymakers at the state, federal and local levels;

Undertaking demonstration and pilot projects in partnership with the private sector, local governments, non-governmental organizations, and others;

Identifying science, research and data needs; and

Developing capacity for implementation of preparedness measures and documentation of best practices.

Featured Videos

Climate Change and Public Health Implications for New Jersey

This video, produced by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance (which is facilitated by Rutgers University), describes how climate change is currently and will continue to affect public health in New Jersey.

NJ Populations Vulnerable to Climate Change

This video, produced by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance, describes demographic and geographic attributes of socially vulnerable populations in New Jersey and their relation to flooding as an environmental hazard associated with a changing climate. The video is informed by research conducted by researchers at Rutgers University, which facilitates the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance.

Climate Change and the Jersey Shore: Impacts on Coastal Communities, Ecosystems and Economies

This video, produced by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance which is facilitated by Rutgers University, explores climate change and its effects on the Jersey Shore. Experts discuss temperature changes, sea level rise, coastal flooding, and ocean acidification and how this impacts communities, ecosystems and coastal economies.

New Jersey's Changing Shoreline

This video, produced by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance (which is facilitated by Rutgers University), describes the dynamics of New Jersey's Atlantic Coast shoreline since the 19th Century, using both historical maps as well as satellite image animation from 1984 - 2012 along NJ's entire Atlantic coast. Viewers can observe periods of erosion, beach narrowing and beach widening as these change over time.

Climate Change and Flood Risk for New Jersey's Senior Citizens

This video, produced by the NJ Climate Adaptation Alliance (which is facilitated by Rutgers University) describes the risks faced by NJ's elderly population with a focus on flooding and storm surge hazards associated with a changing climate.

New Jersey and Climate Change: Impacts and Responses

Produced by the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance, this video provides a comprehensive overview about impacts of a changing climate to people, places and valuable assets throughout the Garden State.

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What's New?

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U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA FY 2018 Pre-Disaster Mitigation grants to state, local and tribal governments to implement and sustain cost-effective measures designed to reduce the risk to individuals and property from natural hazards, while also reducing reliance on Federal funding from future disasters. Application deadline January 31, 2019.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security – FEMA, FEMA FY 2018 Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Program makes available Federal funds to State, Local and Tribal Governments to reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Application deadline January 31, 2019.

The National Environmental Justice Public Meeting will be held from August 14-16, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts, or via teleconference. Members of the public are encouraged to provide comments relevant to the specific issues being considered by the EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. Online registration closes August 7, 2018.

NJCAA releases infographic to explain NJ's climate change impacts, greenhouse gas emissions sources, status on emissions reductions, progress to meeting state goals, and policy options available to New Jersey.Learn about climate change and agriculture in New Jersey here.

NJCAA’s Climate Change and Public Health Working Group releases New Jersey Climate and Health Profile Report. Read the December 2017 final report here.

Rutgers University scientists assist partners from US Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy and Partnership for the Delaware Estuary to build living shorelinesalong the Delaware Bayshore to reduce the impacts of future storms.

Congratulations to the NJCAA Co-facilitators Jeanne Herb, Environmental Analysis and Communications Group, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and Marjorie Kaplan, Rutgers Climate Institute on receiving the 2017 Public Health Advocates of the Year Award by the New Jersey Local Boards of Health Association, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to public health in New Jersey through the work of the Alliance.

The NJCAA's September 27, 2017 conference Climate Change Policy in New Jersey: Advancing Opportunities to make New Jersey Safer, Greener, Healthier and More Prosperousisfeatured in this NJTVNews story along with Alliance Advisory Committee members Dr. George DiFerdinando and Dr. Ana Baptista. Advisory committee Honorary Co-Chair Governor James Florio, Co-chair, Michael Catania, and members Dan Fatton, Rob Freudenberg and DiFerdinando, are quoted in this piece in NJ Spotlight.

Honorary Alliance Co-Chairs NJ Governors James Florio and Thomas Kean mention the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance in this NJ Spotlight piece: NJ's Next Gov Can Make a real Difference on Climate Change. Governors Florio and Kean were also joined by several state leaders, in recommending actions on climate change for the next Governor, read more here.

Regional Plan Association's New Study

The Regional Plan Association recently released a study, citing the work of the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance, Under Water: How Sea Level Rise Threatens the Tri- State Region, which details the severe threats posed to parts of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut metropolitan areas as a result of permanent sea level rise.

NJ Sea-Level Rise Reports

Read the October 2016 reports related to the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance Science and Technical Advisory Panel on Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Storms: Assessing New Jersey’s Exposure to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Storms: Report of the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance Science and Technical Advisory Panel; Assessing New Jersey’s Exposure to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Storms: A Companion Report to the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance Science and Technical Advisory Panel Report; Integrating Science into Coastal Resilience Planning and Decision Making availablehere.

NJCAA's New Two-Volume Report

Read the New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance's new two-volume report on anticipated climate change implications for water supply and possible management scenarios to address challenges in New Jersey.